Se-hee admired the efficiency of Ji-ho’s washing up. Such economical use of water, detergent and effort to produce such cleanly washed tableware and utensils. He, on the other hand, though meticulous in his cleaning, could not match her speed or efficiency. Se-hee was utterly impressed. How did she do it? he wondered as he tried to observe her methods. What was her magic algorithm?

Ji-ho was weirded out. She could feel Se-hee’s intent stares across the dining table boring holes into her back as she did the washing up.

Well, we’ve established that he’s not interested in me, so it can’t be sexual. I don’t think I’ve got a wedgie that he’s too polite to point out either. Does he have an eye infection? Am I using too much water? Darn… She cleared her throat.

“Er, you’ve been looking in this direction for a while. Am I doing the washing up wrongly?”

“On the contrary. I believe you’re the most efficient dishwasher I’ve ever met. I was just trying to understand your process,” Se-hee pronounced seriously.

Ji-ho was tickled. Here was a man much awed by such a simple thing. Any idiot could wash, couldn’t they? But perhaps not as well as she could, she mused, after all, she’d started helping out with chores as soon as she could understand instructions. In fact, she was pretty sure she learnt motor skills from putting toys away.

So engrossed was she in her thoughts that she didn’t realise that he’d come up to the sink and taken the sponge from her soapy hands.

“I’d like to test out my observations on the efficiency of your method.”

Electricity coursed through as her fingers grazed his. They shared an intense look.

“Anyone could do it, with enough practice,” she replied modestly. “Plus PPL detergent is really good. You just need a tiny squeeze to wash everything. It doesn’t hurt the hands either, and smells really fresh!”

==========

I wrote this a couple of weeks back after watching the first two weeks of Because This Is My First Life. Wanted to write something romantic, but this is the best I could muster. Sorry!

… declares that he would pay off the debt of a damaged bike with his home loan till 2048, and kicks off the mirror before kicking down the bike because he believes the owner is a stalker threatening his tenant-“wife”.

SH: Let’s go (still in formal language), let’s watch the soccer match (earlier, he called JH asking her what time she was gonna be home with the excuse of letting her know that there’s gonna be an important soccer match tonight lol)

BN: What are you doing

SH: Let go

BN: What if I don’t? Are you gonna hit me?

SH: No, I don’t hit humans. Cos It’ll involve too much money.

/SH goes off to do his thing/

SH: I Googled this thing just now, and yeah, it’s expensive. But I’ll pay for it along with the house, until 2048.

BN: My motorbike!

SH: Hurry, come here, let’s go to our home (in informal language)

JH voiceover: If we don’t try hard, we won’t be able to understand each other. In such a world, a thing called ‘Love’ exists.

I’m still not sure what Bok Nam’s deal is – stalker, rich chaebol hiding out ala Siwon in Revolutionary Love, or something totally unexpected – but I was thoroughly amused by Se-hee’s arc. As someone who’s described by everyone to have only feelings for his cat and have his actions dictated by the feline and his home loan, that was a HUGE gesture of love, more than what pretty words can ever say. Massive swoon.

I’m also saddened by the Su-ji workplace storyline. The contrast between her situation and Bo-mi’s are too great: Bo-mi wears pink to remind herself that she’s a woman (her gender doesn’t come up in her workplace at all) while Su-ji is scrutinised and gossiped over for her every action. Bo-mi often wears really short skirts and nobody gives a flying fark, while Su-ji even when dressed conservatively like a nun, gets sexually harassed in every which way, with no support even from the women in her office. It would be interesting if the perpetrators of this sexism could be duly punished, but I’m afraid that’s the whole corporation.

I totally wanna write fan fiction for Because This Life Is Our First! It’s a really cute story, and I can totally identify with the male protagonist – if one were more logical instead of having unrealistic expectations or playing mind games, life would be simpler. He’s like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory – love is some fuzzy wuzzy concept that makes no sense, but when you find someone who gets you and can connect on an intellectual level, you’re totally gonna be putty, or as putty as your melting point would go. Jung So-min imbues her struggling writer character with such pathos that anyone who’s gone through their 20s and 30s trying to find their place in the world will emathise. Could care less about Ho-rang, who exemplifies the type of brainless females that have put Sehee off dating. I’m excited to see how he cohabitation hijinks evolve into love with a solid foundation.

While You Were Sleeping has a pretty cool concept. Is the future alterable, and if it is, what are the reverbs that will haunt your initial decisions? Should you kill baby Hitler if you knew that he was going to massacre a whole tribe of people? So far, the existential questions have not quite been answered, but it’s a breezy watch due to the snappy dialogue and cute interactions. If your real life as a slob could be seen by your crush, would you clean up your act? Vacuuming while being dressed up to the nines could be the new thing. Hee hee… Great chemistry among cast with side characters bringing much liveliness is keeping this on the roster for me. Please don’t let it become W – Two Worlds…

Witch’s Court has the standard courtroom/crime procedural vibe. Sassy but secretly vulnerable prosecutor with morally ambiguous ways to win butts head with righteous colleague(s). Respect and understanding ensues with each case they collaborate on. Also “deep” secrets from their childhood to be solved. Will probably give it a miss unless I’m really bored.

Revolutionary Love is supposed to be fun and quirky with heart. Nothing revolutionary about it yet though. Doubt the plotline is strong. I think it’s going to devolve into My Secret Romance. Bye bye Siwon…

Ditto for 20th Century Boy and Girl. There seems to be a mystery, but I’m not invested in the main relationship, or anything else in it for that matter. Pity. It’s the first time that Kim Ji Suk, who’s done a good job playing supporting characters, is headlining a drama.

Go Back Spouses seems to be cashing in on the Reply series type of vibes. Just ‘cos you set something back in the 90s doesn’t automatically mean that it will feel authentic and retro. Not quite buying this couple’s chance at a do over. Sorry.

At this rate we’re going, I could probably open a hanbok rental company in Seoul… I should probably wear some light pieces of gold or silver more – at least that’d pay for all the clothes and stuff that we always need to get here. Wonder where he gets his money from – bartering acupuncture services, perhaps? she mused.

Her mind turned to Im. Last night, she had woken and seen him checking on the sleeping Kang and tucking Dam in.

He’d be a great father one day… Aish! Why did I think that? she chided herself for her stray thought as she absently tied her hair into a chignon.

“Let’s go!” she announced brightly as she stepped out of the hut, holding out her hands to the children.

Im looked at her and smiled.

Yeon-kyung is so pretty. My Yeong-kyung is so pretty. My wife is so pretty.